The Bonds that Hold Us
by CodeLyoko
Summary: The heroes of Mobius, Sonic and Shadow, have been defeated and vanished, and Eggman's Empire has been reduced to rubble due to a new darkness, a being called Mephiles, that has spread over the land. However, in the midst of all this chaos, a young cat named Blaze discovers an abandoned hedgehog child in the forest that she names Silver. Will new heroes rise from the ashes?
1. Prologue

Well, this is being written all for my friend, who cosplays as Blaze. I had decided to cosplay as Silver for her and thus I ship the two as siblings only. I made a comment of how cute it would be if Silver was a baby hedgehog and Blaze had to take care of him and this was born. It was meant to only be a oneshot, but honestly my mind had to take a hold of the idea and literally run out of the room with it. I'm not sure how quick I can update this, especially since I'm mainly focusing on A Second Glance, but I will try my hardest! This here is a prologue and so is short, but it helps explain a few things. I also think I rushed it so I am fuming over how poorly it's written. But anyways, please read and review! They make me wanna write faster and I usually only update after several reviews. Enjoy!

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The planet of Mobius has never had its greatest moment in history than the alleged Golden Era. Although this age had been tormented by the Eggman Empire time and time again, two great heroes rose up to defend them, two young hedgehogs by the name of Sonic and Shadow. Gifted with speeds and strengths equal to none but each other, they were a turning point in the clash between Mobians and Robots. The great City of Aer had prospered under the heroes' watchful eyes and thrived where others have failed, even though they were surrounded by the Empire's lands.

With the seven Chaos Emeralds brought together and held in check by the Master Emerald and its Guardian, it seemed as if nothing could tear the city apart. Technology was on the rise, and was spurred on by visiting humans from faraway settlements. The Roboticization had slowed and it seemed as if Eggman was stopped once and for all…

And then a figure of darkness, spilling onto the land in the early light of the sunset like withering ink. A portal opened, and what lay beyond was the birthplace of horrors. A strange being fell from the portal and disappeared into the shadows while the two heroes had shown up to investigate. While the heroes made quick work of destroying the portal before anything else could come through, it was obvious that it was a distraction, and the realization came too late.

With an otherworldly cry, a green light-wave shot through the air, emitting from the Chaos Shrine where the Master Emerald and the Chaos Emeralds lay. Everyone in the city could hear the shattering of the Emerald. With the very thing that kept their power stable, the seven Emeralds shot through the sky in different directions, too fast for even Sonic and Shadow to prevent it.

Eggman descended upon the city with his robot army, devastating the unaware citizens who fled for their lives. Sonic went to take care of the menace, but Shadow found himself immobile, something, or rather someone, had taken control of his shadow. The being from before rose from in front of the hero, taking the shape of him before it became crystallized, finding a suitable form for this new world.

It called itself Mephiles the Dark, and without a second thought, Shadow leapt in to destroy the copycat. Evenly matched, and surprising the dark hedgehog at this fact, Eggman's forces were too much for his blue counterpart. Forced back to back, with several frightened Mobians watching in hiding, it was revealed that Eggman had allied himself with this Otherworlder to bring them to their knees.

In a single moment, the two heroes were approached by the new villain. One second they were there, ready to team up to face him, and the shadows beneath them swallowed the two and formed an orb that rose to the sky. Becoming semi-translucent, the orb proudly showed the two heroes attempting to free themselves before it collapsed in on itself and vanished. The city had lost everything that day.

Treachery had a way of biting the one that fed it, or in this way, allied with it. In due time, Mephiles turned against Eggman and his petty schemes and destroyed him along with his factories, sending them burning to the grounds. The city of Aer, and even the planet of Mobius, was now his to control.

Those who found themselves pining to go back to the city would find it a ghost town, and many have founded small villages on the outskirts of the once prosperous place. The fears of Mephiles returning to the city were always prevalent, and his creatures of darkness roamed free in the land. Eggman's factories leaked toxic chemicals, and all who find themselves too close to them become mutated or develop strange abilities and no longer are accepted by other Mobians.

No one knows exactly how Eggman had come into contact with Mephiles nor Mephiles' true goal, although there are many theories discussed in secret and hushed conversations. He could have been an experiment of Eggman's or even of his grandfather Gerald, who had been the creator of Shadow. Others say he indeed was from beyond their world and that he wished to transform it into a place of nightmares and darkness. Speculation surrounds the fates of the two hedgehogs that had been the city's protectors; were they still alive, had they truly been killed? No Mobian knew their fates, and probably never would.

With its heroes lost, and Mobius shattered beneath the cruel Mephiles, it seemed all was lost. However, heroes have a way of showing up in the strangest of ways, and with the most unlikely of partner. It all began with a young cat seven months after the destruction of Aer…


	2. Hunt or be Hunted

I have to say, my lovely reviewers, I am grateful and surprised that I had gotten four in under twenty four hours when I first posted this. Normally I don't give out another chapter until a month out or even if I get three reviews which is rare, so this was incredible. I do hope you like cute adorable Silver and Blaze interactions, because it will happen a lot in this fic. And heck, I even decided to bring Mephiles' other self Iblis into this as well! Enjoy, and please review some more! I hope I can keep this interest going without burning out. If anything, I will attempt to always have the next chapter written out all the way or halfway before I update the previous one, same with all of my other fics. I am worried about how well I am keeping Blaze in character since I've never written her before, so I apologize in advance if she is a bit ooc!

Also I do have plans for a third 'member' for this group as they grow up, and it may actually be surprising for you all. I can't wait to reveal that but it will take a while, so let's hope you all love it as much as I do. Hopefully I can balance all these stories I am writing though. For now, read and enjoy! Also since I was having trouble writing, this is a bit rough of a chapter, so apologies!

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The screech of Takers pierced the silence of the dying forest, capturing the attention of the young cat who was wandering around looking for food. Pausing, the lavender feline clutched the bag filled with the small amount of berries she had discovered close to her body, her dirtied outfit doing little to hide her from danger. Ears swiveled in each direction and every muscle was prepared to run at a moment's notice. According to what her ears caught, it seemed like they were tracking something south of her, away from the small peninsula she now called home. Relief spread through her, sagging back against the tree she hid behind and sat down to take a breather.

Although the monsters were nearby, she took inventory on how long this food could last for her and her mentor. It seemed as though they were getting less and less fruit from the trees that populated their home, and Blaze was required to constantly hunt and scavenge farther and farther away. Her mentor was unable to leave, to make sure what was left of the Master Emerald stayed stable. Ears lowered at that, remembering the day it shattered. Had it truly been months since that fateful incident? She had been unable to witness it firsthand, but she felt the energy shockwave as shards flew everywhere.

The expression on his face as the keeper of the Emerald came to her rescue when she ran back to the shrine, a Stalker leaping for her, could never be forgotten. It was anger, hatred for Mephiles, pain, sorrow - so many emotions that it led the normally stoic and reserved cat to feel overwhelmed. The few shards that had been left on the altar were all that he had left, and hunting for the rest while those monsters ran amuck was difficult. The energy from the incomplete gem was unstable and dangerous, requiring attention at all times to keep it under control until it could be rebuilt. That same energy was the only reason why many of the monsters couldn't pass into the area, something about the Emerald creating a slight barrier that rejected their kind.

'_Maybe Rouge has been able to find some of those shards. If she even bothered focusing on that instead of causing the guardian to become flustered…'_

Shaking her head, the feline stood up, listening once again. The screeches were nowhere to be found, and there still was plenty of ground to cover before she had to head back. Deciding it was safe for now, she ventured on to where trees still produced fruit, much farther from the city. The only worry she had was that the contamination could have already been reaching that part of the forest.

'_No, focus Blaze. The trees should be safe for now__.__'_

How wrong she was. Out of the five trees, only one had remained safe, for now, from the crippling contamination from the factories. The other four's bark were twisted and blackened, fruit withered and leaves decaying. The grass and foliage around them were in the same state, with small puddles of green liquid seeping up from the ground. Stepping back, determined not to lose face at the sight, she retreated from the area, golden eyes flashing with determination. She had to find more food, and that meant heading straight for the Takers. As silent as ever, she traversed the forest, hearing the telltale signs of the monsters around her. It was then when Blaze found out that the Takers weren't the only ones in the forest.

The sound of something rustling the grass behind her was all she needed to dodge left, a snarling beast landing where she had been standing. It was a Stalker, a black lizard-like creature with glowing purple designs that wrapped around its body. It roared and a laser beam emitted from its mouth. Leaping up, the attack was dodged, slicing through the trees behind her. Holding up one hand, flames began to coat Blaze's fingers as she dove at the Stalker. Sharp claws combined with the raging fire sliced into its hardened skin, the creature roaring in pain as it got hit a second time. Falling over, the beast became silent, fire eating away at its hide.

It was far from over, since the battle had easily drawn more attention. Screeches echoed across the forest and her eyes raised towards the sky. Takers, flying creatures that glowed with a purple aura. Conjuring up more flames around her, she threw her fist into the air to launch her back into the sky, fireballs forming in her outstretched hands. Twirling around gracefully, she targeted each of them, watching as each ball of fire hit home, continuing until they all fell to the ground, only to disappear into flakes of darkness. For her to take them all down before they had a chance to throw an energy bomb was welcoming, as she didn't want to damage the food she had taken hours to find.

It was also a relief that there were no Iblis incarnations of the monsters she had just fought. Due to her pyrokinesis, she could sense their flames. It was twisted and unnatural, the energy of the fire all wrong and evil, and the sheer power… A shudder threatened to run through her, but she squared her shoulders and stood tall. Iblis, it was a massive ball of fire that had overtaken the altar in the ruined city, a flame that burned without need for fuel. It had only shown up the day after Eggman's Empire had been destroyed, driving out all who attempted to still live in Aer.

A small sound distracted her from her thoughts, causing her to turn in that direction. It had been where the Takers had come from. But what was it? It came again, louder and frightened. Wait… Blaze thought back, they had been tracking something. Conflict rose up in her, fangs nibbling her lower lip. She didn't need to involve herself with anyone else caught up with these monsters. She came here for one reason only, and that was food. Of course she owed no other Mobian, except for a few individuals, anything. After all, she was considered a 'freak', one born with a mutation, an ability that was unnatural.

The sound was louder, childlike; it sounded like crying. The deciding factor to her conflict to stay out of it was broken when a roar, one much deeper than the Stalker's, covered up the crying. There was no mistaking that sound, and it was something she could not let live.

A Titan.

The feline's legs were already moving, fire enveloping her to increase her speed. Controlling the flames so that she wouldn't set the forest on fire, she darted between withering and healthy trees, following the crying until it suddenly stopped, the roar once more overpowering it. There was a clearing ahead.

Skidding to a stop and setting her bag aside out of the way, she faced the enormous monster. Her arrival hadn't been noticed yet, which was strange. Dodging the shockwaves as it hit the ground she moved sideways around it to see what it was attacking. Immediate confusion filled her, as there was nothing except a large tree with roots that had grown out of the ground… Though on second glance, there was a burrow within the roots, some sort of turquoise energy covering the entrance. Whatever was in there was a target for the Titan; Blaze had to act fast!

Even so, there was a small tremor in her demeanor. She had never taken one on unless she had been in a group, especially with her mentor, but there was no chance she would turn around and flee. She simply had to trust her instincts.

"Over here!" The words left her lips, easily heard by the enormous monster. The lumbering giant raised its fist and lurched forward to attack its newest target, forgetting whatever lay beneath the roots. Its slow speed proved useful for Blaze, although her concentration couldn't waver, as one hit from it could take her down for good if she wasn't careful. Seeing her simply leap over the after effects of its attack, it began to swing its arms in front of it, trying to catch her in their grasp.

She remembered what her mentor taught her. Near the top was a glowing orb that was its weak spot. It would take correct timing and patience in order to bring it down efficiently. Waiting for the orb to be revealed, she ducked underneath the first swing and danced away, flipping over the shockwaves. It only took a few more seconds until the creature began to stomp around in anger, its orb revealed on the top of its head.

This was her chance! Pushing off from the ground, she began to spin with one hand outstretched. Fire erupted into a spinning vortex around her body, the cat glowing like a falling meteor. Her gloved hands scratched the orb as she was passing it, causing its glow to sputter before it was hidden again by the protective shell. Landing hard on the ground, she nimbly flipped herself over to throw off the extra momentum and stabilized herself. Sharp eyes narrowed back onto the beast. One attack down, two more to go to defeat the Titan. Easier said than done, she thought as she spent a minute dodging the angered beast's attacks. Fighting it in the jungle slowed its movements, but didn't allow her the proper space to avoid being hit. If her mentor had been there, it would have been over in less than a minute due to their teamwork. Perhaps this could even be considered a test on how far she had came…

Another opportunity showed itself as it slammed its hands in front of itself, a shockwave heading towards her. The glowing orb was revealed again and Blaze took off, leaping over the shockwave and kicking it with one foot. The realization of her mistake came all too soon as the monster recovered too soon for her to get off of its head. A massive hand grabbed her by the leg and she went flying.

Blaze cringed at the unexpected counterattack, her side hitting the nearby tree. There was no further pain other than the bruised muscles. Her eyes darted over to the rampaging monster who was about to squash her like an insect. Rolling out of the way, ignoring the flaring pain, she positioned herself so her legs were underneath her. In an instant she leapt towards another tree in order to rebound towards the orb. She flexed her fingers, flames enveloped them and sliced through the orb. There was the crystalline sound of it shattering and a pained roar before it began to disappear. Blaze landed on all fours, fire dying around her as she made sure the beast was defeated. Ears swiveled around, senses on overdrive in case another monster decided to join the party. Hearing nothing, she was able to stand up, a hand massaging her injured side before she was startled by a sound.

The crying came again, louder and more mournful than before. The sound of it made her heart clench, breaking through the walls she normally had up. It was so pitiful and lonely, desperate to be found. Before Blaze could even realize, she had stepped towards the hole beneath the tangled roots of the tree, the strange energy from before gone. There was something in there, something that the Titan and the other monsters had attempted to kill. But what was it? Bending down and peering into the darkness, her eyes quickly became used to it. Thankful to her feline ability of night vision, what she saw astounded her.

Bright yellow eyes looked up at her, tears trickling down the peach skin. White fur was matted and clumped together, and five quills flowed away from his forehead, sticking up at odd angles. Wrapped up in a grungy cloth, she still recognized him for what he was, a hedgehog child, one that looked to be only a few months old. Reaching out, her fingers flinched away when he started crying again, obviously thinking she was going to hurt him like the Titan.

This put her in a very difficult position, as she was not one to comfort others, and she certainly didn't have a motherly intuition, she was too young for that. Trying to smile, she reached out again to stroke his cheek, wiping away the free falling tears. This time the child didn't flinch, instead staring up at her with big wide eyes, cautious and afraid.

"Hey there. Let's get you out from under here, okay?" There was something about the child that she couldn't put a finger on, and she couldn't simply leave this child to die out here alone. It was quite obvious he had been abandoned, as in this time and age, feeding one mouth was hard enough. The hedgehog whimpered as he heard a distant roar, attempting to hide beneath the folds of the blanket.

This would be harder than she thought… That was until an idea popped into her head. Withdrawing one plump berry from her sack, she held it out on the palm of her hand and waited. Two eyes reappeared from where he had been hiding, smelling something delicious. The hesitance in his eyes was still there, but the overwhelming urge to eat was more pressing. Flailing one tiny arm, he tried to grab onto it, failing time and time again. Getting frustrated, he scrunched up his nose, glaring at the berry as Blaze leaned closer to help out.

The strange energy from before surrounded the child, the light startling Blaze who pulled away to block it out with her free hand. The berry began to glow with the same color, bringing her attention to it as it floated rather unsteadily into the mouth of the child. She was shocked; that strange energy had come from the little child? The slight giggle of the younger one wasn't enough to pull her away from her thoughts. This child had a curse similar to hers; where she had pyrokinesis, this little one had psychokinesis.

It was almost ironic, something that her stubborn mentor would have pointed out right away. The possibility of there being another one who had such abilities and who wouldn't distance themselves away from her made the feline relieved.

Something that glowed floated by her nose, causing her to jerk back and fall onto her rear. Blinking her eyes quickly to focus them, her gaze locked onto two berries that were quickly eaten by the child, whose eyes were locked onto the discarded bag of food. Quickly acting and tying the bag shut, Blaze made sure that what was left could be saved until they got back. The child began to pout as the source of food was taken from him and something warm blossomed inside her.

This child… How adorable.

The roar from before echoed again, sounding much closer. Biting his lip, the little one raised his arms and Blaze gave in to his demands. Carefully wrapping her arms around the child and his blanket, she took him out of his safe hiding place and picked up her bag. Instantly the hedgehog baby giggled again, nestling closer to her dirty clothing, seeking more warmth. This action made the cat feel awkward, looking around to get her bearings. Having someone rely on her for once was a strange feeling, as she was used to acting on her own, of course under the guardianship of her mentor. But the child…

The thought of any of her other acquaintances raising this kid didn't set right with her, and it didn't look like the hedgehog was wanting to let go of her any time soon, judging by how tightly those little fists were clenching her dress. Eyes so similar to her own turned upwards and the happiness that radiated from the child was overwhelming.

"I'll need to name you. I can't keep thinking of you as a hedgehog baby." Blaze stared at the happy child in her arms, eyes roaming over his fur texture. Now that she had a closer look, what was white now looked to have a tinge of silver coloration mixed in. Silver… Knowing he would grow into his name, a small and rare smile fluttered onto her lips.

"Silver. I'll call you Silver."


	3. My Little Brother

I'm so sorry for this being so late everyone. Just like A Second Glance, I couldn't keep up with the one chapter a month. My creativity kind of plummeted and writer's block ensued, yet now I'm been hit by the writing bug, so hopefully I can get going. I've gotten a writer position on a pet site, so that will take priority, but it is helping making me write more. So again, I'm so sorry! Here's some cute Silver action as he charms nearly everyone he meets. Poor Blaze, she has no idea what she is getting into. I also had to cut this chapter in half due to being blocked on the last part. So the next chapter is half written, don't worry!

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"You're late." The grumpy voice could only belong to her mentor, the Guardian of Angel Falls. A crimson echidna was walking towards her, stopping only a few feet away from a makeshift altar in the ruins. His amethyst eyes would always flicker back over his shoulder towards the remnants of the Master Emerald, observing the green-tinted lightning that crackled around it. That was a reminder of the unlimited power it once held, now out of balance. Blaze never minded that her mentor's attention was always split into two, after all, he was the only one who could calm the unstable energy if it went out of control, something that even the other two who had connections to the Emerald couldn't do. The cat shook her head, shifting the sleeping child in her arms.

"I ran into some trouble. Most of the food sources are depleted or polluted." With her head, Blaze motioned to the bag of berries at her side. It wasn't the amount they had hoped for, but it had to do until they figured out something else. It was getting more and more dangerous to leave Angel Falls. Knuckles crossed his arms over his chest, rubbing his forehead. Even though it was a few months after the takeover, the destruction caused by Mephiles had been immense. The city was in ruins and the devastation of the Eggman Empire's factories had only hastened the pollution. Choices were becoming slimmer and slimmer, and the people who once populated Aer had broken up into small groups, fiercely guarding their own food supplies.

"So our only choice now is to either head farther out or hope that Tails has perfected the rejuvenation treatment for the trees here." The echidna looked more worried than before, for good reason. It was true that the young fox, only two years younger than Blaze, was a genius and could develop such a thing quicker than all outside sources, but there was only so much he could do with the resources he had with him. Previous prototypes only lasted so long on the greenery in Angel Falls, especially due to the unstable Chaos energy. Normally the trees thrived with the Master's power without need for constant water or sunlight, yet with it shattered…

And then there was the problem of trading with the humans to get the necessary parts; due to the Shattering, they stayed away from Aer and the surrounding land, retreating to their own country. Due to that, there were few humans left here and many of them were not too friendly with outsiders. A rustle of the cloth-covered child drew Knuckle's attention towards her arms, now realizing that she was carrying something else. His brows furrowed, looking from it up to her.

"Ah, looks like the cat did drag something in. What's in the bundle there?" Blaze hesitated, frowning slightly. There was a small chance that her mentor would not like having yet another person who would have to share their sanctuary, especially with the Master Emerald so near, yet… However she had a hunch that Knuckles wouldn't turn away a small child, just like he took her in when she was younger. Carefully pulling the cloth back from the hedgehog's face, she turned him in her arms so the echidna could see him properly. Before he could open his mouth and demand that they didn't need another mouth to feed, she quickly answered.

"A Titan was after this child. I'm not sure why, or even where he came from, but…" Blaze's voice softened unintentionally, looking down at the small silver hedgehog, "He's like me." The commotion drew the sleepy child from his nap. For once, the Guardian deemed the damaged Master under control and turned his gaze fully towards the now squirming kid. He was interested in the fact that Blaze had taken someone home, especially it being a child.

"The kid's got powers too? Ironic…" He was silent for a few seconds, staring at the child who giggled up at him, one tiny hand reaching out to bat at his dreadlocks. The sleepy gaze of it seemed to capture him and hold him in place before those eyes slid shut again. Where had he seen such life before except in his student and the two heroes from before? He jerked his gaze away and rubbed his forehead; he was getting too soft. But if he was going to stay, then there had to be one rule set in place.

"Alright, he can stay, but you're going to have to look after this new little brother of yours now. I am not a babysitter!" The echidna held up his hands and shook his head. A small smile caught Knuckle's eyes, emitting from his feline student. It was rare that he saw such a smile, and it would keep her occupied during the long hours where Knuckles had to meditate with the Emerald in an attempt to find out the shards' locations.

'_Little brother? I've… never had any siblings before…'_

Blaze turned away and walked to the portion of the ruins where she made her 'home', or what one could call a home anyway in this place. It was a still standing building of stone, one wall nearly cracked in half. Large stones were placed around the area, standing in as furniture where the 'bed' had soft grass and moss that acted as bedding. Random items were stacked up on a built in shelf carved in long ago, ranging from small coins and gems to some mechanical devices from Tails and his human friend. What was her name again? The feline paused before the name came to her. Maria, it was Maria! Eggman's little cousin, a girl who was the opposite of the notoriously evil doctor.

The child woke up with a start and squirmed in her arms, bringing her back to the present. She hushed him, awkwardly trying to rock him. Maybe she would ask Rogue on how to properly take care of a baby next time she flew in. Putting the bag down on the makeshift table, she walked over to the low stone bed, sitting down as she tried to calm the child. Nervousness seeped into her body, wishing that she knew what the squirming hedgehog wanted. A tiny hand reached up and tried to tug on her ears, the cries turning into giggles. She titled her head. His eyes followed one twitching ear. Wait….

Another tilt of her head. Again those yellow eyes followed it, especially when it twitched. Silver's eyes widened, like it was a game or a toy… Toy? Both ears flattened, observing once more how fascinated Silver was acting. A sudden tug on her ear made her wince and flinch back, only to see a teal aura in her peripheral vision. Her right ear was being tugged by the aura, the child holding both hands out to eagerly grab ahold of the soft looking object before Blaze shook her head, the aura easily dispelled. So the child wanted to play, yet she wasn't confident in herself to properly play with the baby. For the first time, she wished the white bat was here. Something gold glinted at her as the sun began to move towards the horizon, drawing her attention. In the corner of her room, there was a pile of Sonic's golden rings. Frowning, she remembered that Tails was supposed to come by to pick them up yet had been held up by a contact from the nearest remaining city. Perhaps…

Testing her theory, the cat stood up, retrieving one of the circular items and returning to her seat near the child. The golden ring was dangled in the air before Silver, whose eyes seemed to widen at the shiny object. Eyes locked on to it, no matter where Blaze moved it, it never left his sight. It wasn't much, but by the aura that appeared and tugged it down towards the child, it should suffice as a 'toy' for him. Letting go, the ring floated unsteadily down towards Silver, who giggled and attempted to slobber all over the golden item. Well, Blaze thought with a sheepish smile, Sonic wouldn't have minded _too_ much over this, right? It should keep him occupied too.

"Stay here, Silver." She whispered down to him, touching his small arm before she quickly left the room, noticing how the kid barely seemed to see her leaving. Once out of sight of Silver, Blaze shuddered, causing her hands to fly up and rub her arms. Her fur still tingled from passing through the barely visible barrier of Chaos energy the Master Emerald was putting off. Due to her initially being from a dimension where there was Sol energy, not Chaos energy, it always made her feel uncomfortable and out of place no matter.

However it wasn't as if she remembered what her homeland had been like, she had been sent here when she was barely two and the last memories she had was of the Sol Emeralds shattering and the Sol energies going out of control. And then there was that soft warm voice of who she believed to be her mother, telling her that everything would be alright before the portal closed. Regardless of where she came from, her Sol energy wasn't too compatible with the Chaos energy, thus she wisely kept her distance from the broken Emerald.

Running her gloved hand through her ponytail, a deep frown etched itself onto her face. Many times since The Shattering she found herself wondering if the two events could possibly be connected. The Sol Emeralds of her dimension shattering was all too similar to what had happened here years later, yet other than that, there was no evidence that could connect the two. Sighing dejectedly, she kept her eyes on the ground, watching the half-wilted grass struggling to stand against the pummeling of a mere gust of wind.

It took Blaze a few moments to realize she stopped around fifteen feet away from her mentor, the designated minimum safe distance that protected her from the unstable energy of the Master Emerald. Knuckles had his back to her, eyes almost always glued onto the three large shards that had been rescued from its previous resting grounds.

"What power did you say the kid had?" The cat almost jumped at him suddenly talking, forgetting that while he usually was silent and looked as if he had the utmost concentration, he could easily tell what was going on around him, and thus most likely heard her approach. Blaze blinked, glancing back at her modest house before replying.

"Psychokinesis. Although he has some sort of control over it, if his concentration wavers, it disappears." An intrigued grunt answered her in response before he straightened. A sudden realization overcame her mentor, eyes darting to where her house was in the ruins with dread.

"Blaze… Don't tell me you just left that child all alone."

"I left him on the bed. He was playing with one of Sonic's rings. It's not like he could run off and get into trouble." Blaze frowned, not seeing what the problem is. The child just woke up, and was quite enamored with the ring.

"You forget this is a baby you're talking about! That and you said he had powers, telekinesis?" The echidna rubbed his forehead. This was falling apart already, there was a reason why he disliked having many people on this portion of the land, not only because of the dangerous energy sparks the Master sent out every now and then unless he calmed it, but because of a creature that lurked nearby, one powerful enough to control any source of water it came across without any effort. One that he happened to be unable to control.

"Didn't you forget about a certain guardian who doesn't like to be disturbed, even by me? If that child runs into Chaos… Just go and find him!" Knuckles was fuming, pushing the small cat towards the forest around them. Blaze sighed, knowing well not to argue, especially since he did have a point. Chaos hated to be disturbed, and the only one who could understand and influence his actions was hidden in the nearby temple, but she wasn't easy to find either unless she sensed danger. Turning with a nod, she quickly began to set off towards the forest, but she was only a few feet away when she heard an inhumane shriek emitting from behind her. Flinching despite herself, she glanced behind her.

The shards of the Master were radiating with a green energy, lightning sparking between the three. The shriek increased as the shards began to vibrate. Knuckles clenched his jaw and walked towards it, ignoring the energy that was lashing out at him. Placing both hands on the nearest shard, he began to mumble at it as he closed his eyes.

"Oh calm down, Emerald." The Guardian mumbled, not flinching as a lightning strike arched near his face. Smiling in relief that the Emerald would be calmed down, the cat turned away, shivering with the massive amounts of energy pouring from the Emerald's temper tantrum. She could only hope that her new little brother had fallen asleep with the ring, and not have wandered off. The spirit in the ancient ruins was fine with others wandering around but Chaos… She quickened her pace.


End file.
